Cryptic Faith
by Nadyell
Summary: The two religions, Sanctus and Diablos, have never been at peace. Meet Kamiya Kaoru of Sanctus, Oracle of Shinzuru, and Himura Kenshin of Diablos, Prophet of Kurayami. Chaos is set free when all find out that the Oracle and the Prophet are engaged. BK.
1. The Meeting

**Summary:** The two religions, Sanctus and Diablos, have never been at peace. Meet Kamiya Kaoru of Sanctus, Oracle of Shinzuru, and Himura Kenshin of Diablos, Prophet of Kurayami. Chaos is set free when all find out that the Oracle and the Prophet are engaged. B/K.

**Pairings:** Battousai/Kaoru

**Disclaimer:** I don't own Rurouni Kenshin, at all. All the characters belong to Nobuhiro Watsuki-sensei. The only thing in this story that is mine will be the OCs and the plot itself.

**Cryptic Faith  
**Chapter One – The Meeting

It was a dark and quiet evening as people dressed in billowing white robes ran off to gather in the town circle. The faithful ones were rushing, for tonight was the night that their beloved Oracle would make an appearance in their relatively unknown town. Despite the puddles on the wet pavement, their white robes stayed immaculate. It seems that their goddess was willing for them to meet the Oracle. Only the Oracle could ever speak to the goddess personally, making her the messenger, telling fellow believers what the goddess deemed correct or incorrect. Of course, there were others called Messengers who were stationed in every town, in every city of the world but only a single being could ever talk to the goddess.

A bell rung loudly in the town as more and more people began gathering in the town circle. It was a brilliant sea of pure white, their hoods covering their heads. They were chanting a prayer, the Prayer of Safekeeping for the Oracle. Their words melded into one voice as they continued chanting the prayer like a mantra. Inside the Church, more figures dressed in white were rushing for the preparations of what the Oracle was to speak. The Oracle was dressed in a similar white robe with gold outlines, the hood not covering the Oracle's head. A sparkle appeared in the Oracle's eyes as she looked out from inside. She did not get startled when a voice greeted her from behind.

"It is not good for them to see you yet, my Oracle," spoke a warm voice from behind. The Oracle turned around and simply waved it off, a simple smile on her face. "You may think it crazy but what if any of those people of Diablos are there, wearing our colors to fool us into your assassination. You know that is what they've always wanted, your death so that Sanctus may be no more and that everyone will have to believe in Diablos, in their god called Kurayami." Deep hatred coated the warm voice as it became icy, an angered look on the speaker's face. The Oracle put her hand on the follower's shoulder, silently telling her to look up. Teal eyes implored the Oracle's sapphire ones, who merely showed her sympathy, that she understood the pain it meant to lose someone so beloved to him or her.

"I understand, Yuuko, how it feels to lose someone to the hands of their god," she spoke, her rich, soothing voice resounding inside the Church. Everyone stopped what they were doing to listen to her voice. Every word she spoke came from the goddess Shinzuru, for the Oracle was devoted to only Shinzuru. Everything she did was for their purification, for their redemption, from the clutches of evil that threatened their existence. "But hating them is not the answer. Try to forgive them, to see them as equals, for all of us are human beings," she spoke with confidence, silver tracing the outlines of her sapphire blue eyes, "Do not lower your self to their ranks."

It was said that all color drained from the Oracle's eyes when the goddess took full control of her body. The simple outline of her silver irises was seen but no more. It was also said that when Shinzuru descended to the Earth, miracles would occur. The sick would be healed, the blind could see, the mute could speak, the lame could walk among the miracles that occurred. It rarely happened but when it did, the faith of the believers grew even deeper. The same could be said for the Prophet, save his eyes turned into a reddish amber color. It wasn't the dark gold his eyes turned into when he was angry but it was bright piercing reddish amber, the eyes of Kurayami. The believers of the god Kurayami grew even more devoted to him. And this all started years ago when a clear definition of light and dark, of goodness and evil were set. There had been many Oracles and Prophets since then, only one of each remained as their heart beat strongly against their chest, and none have been so loved like the current Oracle of Sanctus or the current Prophet of Diablos.

"Yes, my Oracle," said Yuuko, tears brimming in her eyes as her knees buckled. Falling to the floor, her white robes spilled on the marble floor like the silver moonlight, becoming opaque as its rays rested on the flooring of the Church. The Oracle smiled softly as she bent down, forcing Yuuko to stand tall. As soon as the younger girl of about fifteen looked up at the slightly taller Oracle of seventeen, the older female hugged her close, like an older sister would in comforting a sibling. Pulling apart, the Oracle smiled once more before pressing a kiss to Yuuko's cheek, as any older sister would. Unconsciously, the young girl forced into maturity when her family was slaughtered before her eyes three years ago by those of Diablos put a hand to her cheek, cradling the still warm skin on which the Oracle's lips had touched. "My Oracle?" she questioned slightly as she looked at her, confused. The Oracle's bell like laughter resounded as her eyes turned silver.

"My child, it is for you. I will watch over you through my Oracle. She knows how it is to have lost a family to them in such a young age. She was five when her family was killed before her eyes and through the last Oracle before her, who had died when she was six, I have taken care of her," spoke the Oracle, her voice evidently different from earlier. When her eyes were blue, the Oracle's voice seemed warm, full of love for the believers of Sanctus. Now, her voice was like the choirs of angels, singing and rejoicing. "Since then, she has been in my service for eleven years, the youngest Oracle in history. She will see no problem in adopting you as her younger sister, my child. My Oracle, Kamiya Kaoru, will love you and adopt you as her sister. From now on, you are Kamiya Yuuko."

Kaoru's hand reached out to touch Yuuko's forehead. Instinctively, the younger girl closed her eyes as Kaoru's fingers touched the skin. Everyone within the Church turned to face Kaoru and the younger girl as they both began to float in midair. This was the work of their goddess. Falling to their knees, they bowed in adoration as they began chanting a prayer to their goddess, a prayer of thanks for simply appearing to them now. Light flooded the otherwise darkened Church as they remained afloat for a few seconds, Kaoru's robes billowing. Moments later, they began to descend, their feet landing softly on the marble floor. The minute her feet touched the floor, her eyes turned that curious shade of sapphire blue once more. Yuuko's light brown hair spilled over her face as she watched Kaoru from beneath her bangs.

"Kaoru-sama, the crowd," spoke another, donning the same white robe that Yuuko was wearing. Very few were able to call the Oracle by her first name. Only close friends and family could ever do that and she was one of them. Kaoru looked up, a tired smile on her face. Whenever Shinzuru took complete control of her body, she felt drained. She was fully conscious of what was happening but she felt tired in the end. Brushing the dust off of her immaculate robes, she nodded as she began walking out. Stopping, she turned to face the one who spoke to her. Dark brown curls held in pigtails, cinnamon brown eyes and a female face was what greeted her. "Kaoru-sama, the crowd," she reminded once more as she let her arms dangle at her sides. The Messenger stationed in the town asked for silence. The crows ceased to pray, all holding their breath. Seconds later, the Messenger announced the Oracle's presence to the crowd.

"Misanagi, take care of Yuuko while I am out," said Kaoru simply before she turned around and walked out of the Church, towards the crowd. Misanagi nodded slowly before facing the young girl who was awestruck at what had just happened. In what seemed to be an attempt to protect the Oracle's identity, she had earned herself a friend, a talk with the goddess herself and then a sister who would treat her like her own family. The doors swung wide open as Kaoru reached them, a blinding light from the outside showering the dark Church. All heads snapped up simultaneously as the Oracle stepped out, a simple smile on her face. At that moment, time seemed to stop for the townspeople, their dream of meeting the Oracle springing back to life.

In the Shadows

Violet eyes flickered into gold as the one who owned them lay beneath the shadows. He could not bear to hear their chants, to see the endless sea of white in front of him. Shifting his position on the branch he was sitting on, his inky black robes, the direct counterpart of the ones of Sanctus, moved slightly, the silver outlines shimmering slightly. His blood red hair tied back into a ponytail spilled over the black hood at the back of his robe. He was getting impatient. He was waiting for a certain someone. They had first met when he was six and she was merely a child of four. Why he could still remember what had happened thirteen years ago, he did not know. However, her image burned obviously against his mind's eye. It wouldn't be long now until everyone knew of the truth. It was his right as a man, as well as the fulfillment of the promise of fifteen years ago.

The metal blade of his katana moved slightly, creating soft sounds as he drummed his fingers against the wood impatiently. They were starting that annoying chant once more. A sharp, stinging pain drummed against his temples, his eyes turning into a dark gold. He could not take it. He no longer wanted to hear the meaningless words they were speaking. To him, anyway, they were meaningless. He did not believe in what those in Sanctus believed in. How could he? He abhorred everything about them, except a single person who had been promised to him as a child. And besides, even if he didn't hate them like how vampires hated the sunlight, he could not believe in the useless things they were speaking. He was in Diablos and the most influential one of all. He was the Prophet of Kurayami, their god.

"Kenshin-san," spoke a voice from behind him. The Prophet kept his dark golden irises focused on the blinding sea before him. He didn't need to look behind him to see who it was. There was only one person in all of Diablos who could call him by his first name with absolutely no fear of being killed by the legendary swordsman, Battousai. It was Seta Soujiro, a young boy he had rescued from his family, a so-called family who nearly killed him. "Have you seen her yet?" he asked simply as he stood beside Kenshin, the eternal smile plastered on his face. Kenshin raised a hand and pointed to a figure standing tall, something shimmering against her white robes. "Are you sure it's her? I can't see her face, that's all," spoke Soujiro in a slightly apprehensive tone. He did not want to anger the Battousai within Kenshin and incur his wrath.

"No one else wears a white robe adorned with gold in Sanctus, as no one else wears a black robe adorned with silver in Diablos," spoke Kenshin steadily, his eyes still focused on the figure of the Oracle. Soujiro nodded slowly, understanding the logic of the slightly older man. As they remained in their positions, a few of the elders within Diablos shook their heads. They highly disapproved of the previous promise of the Prophet and the Oracle when they were children. One of the elders had tried to convince the Prophet to reconsider and choose another woman as his bride but the elder only ended up in pieces, mutilated pieces so fine that the crows couldn't eat what had been left of him. The Battousai within him was a jealous man, possessive of anything he deemed was his. The barrier of different religions was nothing important to him. He was going to get the Oracle as his wife, as a fulfillment to the promise and as his right as her fiancé.

"My Prophet, we implore you one last time, reconsider your choice as your bride!" spoke a representative of the elders, the rest behind him. Kenshin pressed his lips into a thin line, trying his best to not kill them. He didn't need them to lecture him about this. No other woman could replace what was meant to be the Oracle's role in his life, as well as hers. "She is unclean, filthy! She believes in the damned goddess Shinzuru! Why choose her, my Prophet?" continued on the representative, taking Kenshin's silence as a signal to move on. "Give us three days and we will find you a suitable bride," added the elder, a dark look in his eyes. He hated all that had to do with Sanctus. The fact that the Prophet was planning to marry the Oracle was simply unheard of.

"Seichii, do you know my name?" spoke Kenshin as he stood up, facing the elder who dared to speak so boldly in front of him. Seichii nodded slowly, nervous at what might happen. "It is Himura Kenshin. I am the Battousai, a legendary swordsman from Japan," continued Kenshin calmly as he walked towards Seichii slowly, his right hand grasping the hilt of his katana. "And do you know the real name of the Oracle?" he asked, simply out of curiosity. Seichii shook his head at that. Why would he speak her name, dirtying his own tongue in the process? "It is Kamiya Kaoru," he provided, a dark glint in his already darkened amber irises. Those around him sucked in air, surprised that he dirtied his mouth with her name. "And did you know that we have been promised to each other? Even if we weren't, no one else can rival her in her beauty, fire and spirit," hissed Kenshin as he drew his blade, the metal touching the older man's neck.

Seichii stuttered his reply as he clung onto the very fabric of his life, holding as tightly as he could. He did not want to die yet. He still had a family waiting back for him. However, like him, they were all steadfast in their faith to their god that if the Prophet had slain his life, it was an honor. However, he did not want to die. He feared the clammy claws of death, its painful hiss, its cold breath, all of which were in front of him right now, embodied in their very Prophet. Nodding slowly, Kenshin looked up and sheathed his sword, holding an even gaze with all other elders before his presence. Looking down at his hand then to his right, he threw the katana to Soujiro. "You know what to do. They're too filthy to die by my hands," said Kenshin, his words freezing the air he breathed on, as he went back to his perch to see if Kaoru was finished with this trivial gathering in the desolate town.

"Well, it proves you're now that low in Kenshin-san's eyes," spoke Soujiro as he drew out the blade and swung it experimentally. The silver of the metal flashed predatorily in the eyes of the some twenty elders before him. Each tried to show absolutely no fear as the one they called the Tenken stooped down and mimicked Battousai's signature attack, the reason why he was called Battousai in the first place. It was the Battou Jutsu. Combined with his godlike speed, it was even more ruthless than before. In the blink of an eye, Soujiro disappeared, the sword Kenshin had lent him cutting or slicing through the bodies of the elders. In less than a minute, Soujiro's hands had been stained with the blood of twenty. "It was a real pity. I was starting to get the hang of you hovering behind Kenshin-san," said Soujiro as he mechanically flicked the blood off of the katana, "Now, to return this to Kenshin-san." Stooping down, he wiped the rest of the blood on the black robe of one of the elders before turning around to find the red haired man.

After the Gathering

Everyone was shoving and pushing against each other, trying to reach the Oracle. Misanagi had stepped out as soon as she saw the trouble Kaoru had gotten herself into once more. The Oracle just had too much love for the followers of Sanctus. She had to know there was a limit as to how loving she could be for the people lest she harm herself in the process. Yuuko had long gotten over the initial shock and was helping Misanagi protect the Oracle from the bustling crowd from the town. They knew their intentions were simple and honest, just a brief word with the Oracle or even to touch the hem of her robe, but they could not allow that. It was much too late for the longer she stayed outside of the sanctity of the Church, the higher the risk of the assassins from Diablos would come and steal her life. As the noise grew louder, two figures, adorned in black, appeared. Time seemed to stand still as their gazes focused on the two foreigners. Beneath one hood, violet-amber eyes seemed to shine with amusement. Beneath the other, dark coal eyes remained blank.

"Diablos," hissed Misanagi as she signaled with her left hand. A group of ninjas, a gold symbol emblazoned on the back of their black clothes appeared, ready to strike at the word of Misanagi. She was the leader of the Sanada Ninjas, a group which swore itself to the protection of the Oracle. "What do you want from us?" she hissed, her cinnamon eyes flashing in contempt as she faced the two who dared approach them with such a number. One of the black hoods fell away as the eternal smile plastered itself on his face. Soujiro offered the smile once more. Beneath the black robe, his hand was wrapped around the hilt of his own katana. He was ready to strike and kill the ninjas surrounding them. "And you! Who are you?" demanded Misanagi as she faced the other cloaked figure. The second hood fell away, dark gold eyes hidden beneath the blood red of his hair. "The Prophet," she whispered to herself as she felt her weapon dropping to the floor. They were serious now.

"What are you doing here?" asked Kaoru, her voice as cold as ice as she brushed past against everyone, walking towards the red haired male. Everyone could not move as they watched the female walking towards him, fear in their bodies. "I suppose you're here to kill me, are you not?" asked Kaoru, standing up as tall as she could. The male was barely any taller than she was but held so much more confidence than the Oracle of Shinzuru. His lips twisted himself into a small curve as it began to rain. She had grown up to become a beautiful woman. The rain started to drench their robes, her white one pressing against the contours of her body. "Answer me," she said simply as her sapphire eyes reflected no emotion. Kenshin shook his head as he reached out and touched her cheek. "Don't touch me," she hissed as she swatted away his hand.

"No, I'm not here to kill you," he stated like it was a fact. The ninjas moved slightly, trying to reach the place Kaoru stood. "Misanagi-san, tell your ninjas to stay put if they don't want their lives ended prematurely. I can assure you that in five minutes, Soujiro can slay the lives of a hundred men and there are hardly that many here," said Kenshin as a flame danced in his violet irises, focused solely on the woman before him. Kaoru stood tall, defiant against the Prophet's presence. "Why am I here, right? You wish to know something you should have remembered," spoke Kenshin as he touched Kaoru's face with his right hand, his left holding down her two hands, "I mean, we did meet thirteen years ago, Kaoru." Her sapphire eyes burned as he called her by her first name. He had no right! "We met thirteen years ago, because our families promised us to each other. I am Himura Kenshin, Prophet of the god Kurayami. You are Kamiya Kaoru, Oracle of the goddess Shinzuru. However, you stay in that role for long. You will be Himura Kaoru, soon enough."

Not caring that he was in the presence of many, Kenshin bent his head down slightly, his flame colored bangs touching her face as he pressed his lips hungrily against hers. He had waited so long for this moment and no one would deny him of a kiss with his future wife. Kaoru put her hands against his chest and tried to push him away but she couldn't. This was her first kiss and he was making her melt like jelly. Her mind refused to work or if it did, her body refused to acknowledge its commands. Unconsciously, she parted her lips slightly and allowed the Prophet access to her mouth. Moments later, he pulled away for air for himself and her as well. "Don't forget, I will be coming for you. No one can get what is mine," he spoke as he tucked a stray strand of her raven tresses behind her ear. In the blink of an eye, he and Soujiro left. Kaoru's fingers found their way to her lips where the warmth of his lips still lingered.

**Tsuzuku…**

I've finally decided to venture into the world of Rurouni Kenshin fanfiction. It's a wonder it took me this long, considering it's my all-time favorite animanga (but I prefer the manga over the anime). Maybe I just have a much higher standard because it is my favorite.

Anyway, I hope you all like it! Please review!

Oh yeah. Unlike my Naruto fanfiction, this won't have the chapter preview.


	2. The Reactions

**Summary:** The two religions, Sanctus and Diablos, have never been at peace. Meet Kamiya Kaoru of Sanctus, Oracle of Shinzuru, and Himura Kenshin of Diablos, Prophet of Kurayami. Chaos is set free when all find out that the Oracle and the Prophet are engaged. B/K.

**Pairings:** Battousai/Kaoru

**Disclaimer:** I don't own Rurouni Kenshin, at all. All the characters belong to Nobuhiro Watsuki-sensei. The only thing in this story that is mine will be the OCs and the plot itself.

**Cryptic Faith  
**Chapter Two – The Reactions

Within the Church, everything was violent. The townspeople had gone home, extremely upset at what the Prophet had done to the Oracle. He had defiled her holy being and did it in front of such a crowd. The Oracle herself could not move, her heart stopped beating and time seemed to stand still for her. The fates seemed to want to go against her. The goddess was clearly upset; Kaoru could hear Shinzuru's voice pounding in her mind. She did not remember what had happened thirteen years ago. The goddess had shown true mercy to Kaoru twelve years ago, when she was five. The Prophet's words clearly said they met thirteen years ago, a year before the goddess had anything to do with Kaoru's life. Pain etched on her features as she recalled what happened but an hour ago.

"Kaoru-sama! Word has been spreading and the entire world of Sanctus is falling into chaos," said Misanagi urgently as she approached the distraught Oracle. She was no longer wearing her white robe but her clothes as the Okashira of the Sanada Ninjas. Kaoru was wearing an informal kimono now, instead of the white and gold robes of earlier. It was she always wore when the ceremonial robes were not being used. "Kaoru-sama!" she repeated, more urgently this time as she held the Oracle's hands. "I don't know what happened thirteen years ago, but I do know that the Prophet was saying the truth, no matter how much I do not want to believe in his words. He held such an air of confidence that only the truth could bring out in a person," whispered Misanagi, a worried look appearing in her face.

"Misanagi, I can't remember anything that happened before Shinzuru-sama saved me twelve years ago," she spoke, her voice showing that she was evidently in pain. She was holding on to Misanagi for support, her knees weak as her mind was thrown into so much turmoil. How could she continue to serve Shinzuru, if she was promised to a man of Kurayami? How could she live with that fact? Her sapphire irises burned in anguish as she tried so hard to remember. "I don't even remember the faces of my parents!" she hissed, her nails digging into Misanagi's shoulders. The female ninja paid no mind, trying her best to calm down the Oracle before she did anything rash. "And he kills! He kills!" she said, extreme fear overcoming her sense of rationalism. For the first time in her life as the Oracle, Kaoru could no longer see a light shining in front of her eyes. For the first time in her life as the Oracle, her followers could see that she was in pain, that she could no longer think straight, that the life she knew had been thrown a way just like that.

The brown haired ninja swore against the Prophet and his plans for making the Oracle his wife. Was it Diablos' plan to do this and effectively destroy their only link to the goddess? It was a common fact, be it Shinzuru or Kurayami, that if their Oracle or Prophet was still alive, they would not choose another until they died. The Prophet and the Oracle were both young that by the time either one of them died, the loss interaction with their beloved goddess would affect them so much that Diablos would survive and Sanctus would most likely not. Tears of fear and uncertainty had already begun falling as Kaoru fell to the ground. It was as if she wanted to claw someone's eyes out. She could not handle the news; she didn't even remember seeing him. It would have been easy, seeing as he had the brightest of red hair, almost like blood, and his amethyst colored eyes were very rare but she could not remember at all.

"Do you… do you want some water?" asked Yuuko uncertainly, her teal eyes reflecting the worry she felt within her. All the others were busy trying to suppress the rage of the believers while Misanagi and Yuuko were left to comfort the distraught Oracle. Anyone would react the way she did, if they found out that she had been promised to someone in Diablos most especially if that someone was the Prophet. "Onee-sama?" asked Yuuko once more, trying to get some sort of response from the Oracle. When she did not reply, Yuuko fell to the ground in fervent prayer, hoping that the goddess would hear her words and that she would spare their beloved Oracle from the turmoil in her heart. Words flowed effortlessly from her mouth like water from a pitcher. Shinzuru's screams of anguish at what had happened the year before she and Kaoru met had started to lessen. She was hearing the words of one who was hoping against all hope that Kaoru would be alright.

As if a miracle occurred, Kaoru's tears began to lessen. Her breath was starting to normalize as she stretched her hand out towards Misanagi, her hand constantly opening and closing like she was trying to grasp the air in front of her. Her vision started to blur as her body began growing heavy. She was starting to forget all of the mess that had happened just an hour ago. Her eyes began to grow heavy as her body began descending to the marble floor, a slightly peaceful look on her face. Sleep was starting to take over her body, the mercy of the goddess to help her forget what had just occurred. In a matter of seconds, the Oracle lay sprawled on the marble floor, her cheeks against the cool, white stone. Time seemed to stand still for everyone as they saw their beloved Oracle on the ground, unconscious.

"Kaoru-sama!" said Misanagi urgently as she rushed towards the side of the raven haired girl, a worried look etched on her features. Misanagi tried to shake the Oracle awake but it seemed that she was in such a deep sleep. With all her strength, Misanagi lifted the Oracle and struggled as she began walking to the room of the Church where Kaoru would stay. All the others looked at the hardened face of Misanagi in fear. "Yuuko-san, look for any one of my ninjas. Tell them that their Okashira wants this Church surrounded, every entrance and every exit. The Oracle is asleep and she needs her rest. Tell them no one from Diablos should enter this holy ground. If they are able to, I will personally kill them if they aren't already dead." Yuuko nodded slowly as she rushed out, trying to find any one of the Sanada Ninjas.

Up on the window sill, an amber gleam shimmered as the golden irises stayed focused on the sleeping figure of the Oracle. "I didn't mean to scare her that badly," whispered Kenshin to himself as he stood up. Leaping from such a height, Kenshin moved towards the branch as the features of the Oracle remained etched in his mind. Since thirteen years ago, he hadn't really seen Kaoru face to face. Of course, he did see her when her picture was on the news but never personally and she had grown up to become a very beautiful woman in those thirteen years. "Soujiro, let's go home now. I'm tired," said Kenshin as his feet padded softly on the wood of the branch. The younger boy's dark eyes shone slightly before nodding. Taking once last look at the architecture behind him, Kenshin's eyes dulled until they were violet. With a sweep of their cloaks, the two men were gone as if they had never been there in the first place.

The Diablos Main Temple

The people walking down in the dark hallway were guided by the bright, burning light coming from the fire of the torches. An orangey glow illuminated the otherwise black of the hallway as two sets of feet padded against the floor. The black of their cloaks hid their bodies as they continued to walk. A slight shimmer of silver against the dark black of one of the figures' robes glinted against the darkness of the hallway. Usually, it was much brighter than this, as the sun also shone in the marble hallway of the temple, but it was night wherein they relied only on the light of torches held by statues carved out of the same marble they were walking on. The grandeur of the area they were in was hidden by the inky black of the night, only to be visible during the day.

"My Prophet, where are your elders?" asked another person clad in black as he rushed over towards Kenshin and Soujiro. The two men stopped, Kenshin's eyes flashing a wild gold as he looked at the person who questioned him and silently motioned him to press even further. "My Prophet, the elders who were left here wish to have a meeting with them, as well as you and Soujiro-sama," replied the messenger as he gulped in worry. He did not want to anger the Prophet, the sole person whom their god could speak through. "They, they are waiting in the room in the second floor, near the eastern balcony," informed the young man before bowing and leaving the presence of the Prophet. Soujiro's lips twisted themselves into that plastic smile as he faced Kenshin.

"Well, Kenshin-san, it seems that you will never be able to rid yourself of these elders of yours from the times of the older Prophets," said Soujiro with a slight laugh as the two of them began to walk to the room the messenger had spoken of. Kenshin idly nodded as he ran a hand through his long blood colored hair which he had set free before tying it back once more. "Maybe you should be like the Oracle, having absolutely no elders to judge what is going on and what to do about it. The Oracle only has a few trusted people around her and her personal guard, the Sanada Ninjas. Beyond that, no one else is close to her. With the presence of the elders, it seems that they're the ones running Diablos when it should be you, Kenshin-san," said Soujiro thoughtfully as he rubbed his thumb against the skin of his chin, "It's just a suggestion but it seems like a truly good choice to me."

"Yes, Soujiro, it seems like a good choice," said Kenshin tiredly as they began ascending the marble steps. More torches lit their way as they moved on to the room where some of the other elders. They were the only ones walking to that room, the elders who were with them earlier lying in the cold ground, their bodies already rotting. The Prophet's eyes showed irritation as he frowned, his amethyst eyes flickering gold as the continued walking. He wondered why he even put up with the elders. Probably because the older Prophets had put up with them but he would take no more of their prodding. "Soujiro?" spoke Kenshin as they stopped in front of a wooden door. The dark coal eyes of the Tenken looked up at the red haired male. "Do not kill them unless they infuriate me, no matter how annoyed you are at them," said Kenshin as he reached out his hand for the knob of the door, "Wait at least until after the meeting." The Tenken nodded with his usual smile on his face.

"Soujiro! Do not let the Prophet do menial work!" berated one of the elders, Shibahara Tazuya, as he stood up, his hands against the mahogany table. Soujiro merely shrugged it off as he walked slightly behind Kenshin who didn't seem to pay any attention to the other elders. As soon as he found his seat, Kenshin immediately sat down with Soujiro at his right. All of the other elders looked at Tazuya, who remained standing, before looking at the Prophet. "My Prophet, where are the other elders? I'm sure that there were twenty with you when you went to… wherever you have gone to," asked Tazuya with a tone of confusion painting his voice, "And what did you do there, if we may ask."

"It doesn't matter where they are. What matters is that this meeting finish soon because I'm tired," hissed Kenshin, a headache thrumming against his temples. Soujiro looked at the elders with a smile that warned them death if they continued adding to Kenshin's growing headache. Of course, he'd have to wait until Kenshin agreed to let him deliver their deaths but he was a generally patient man. He could wait for a year without getting irked at all. "And what did I do there?" said Kenshin softly, annoyance coating the words that escaped his lips, "What I did there does not matter to you, if you do not want to die now. I'm sure you all have your families to go home to. Do not test my patience." The murmurs arose from the elders as ideas of what happened earlier came into their minds. The twenty elders were dead for irking the Prophet and he had visited the Oracle and had announced, formally or not, the predicament at hand. They were engaged.

"Why, my Prophet, did you do that?" implored Tazuya with a tone of evident annoyance. He was longing to tear the hair off of Kenshin's head and shake some sense into the Prophet. Never have they had such a reckless and uncaring Prophet who had tasted the blood of many in his days as Battousai but never in the history of Diablos did they have a Prophet so loved by the people and so blessed by Kurayami. Battousai never killed for money. He killed for the sake of his justice. As Battousai, the teachings of Diablos were spread out since he was never really in one place for long. He walked and acted like a normal person. People were attracted to him like metal was attracted to a magnet. They had never seen him angry like this, until the elders found out about a promise between himself and the Oracle forged thirteen years ago, when he was a mere child of six. "Why?"

"Why did I do it?" hissed Kenshin, his eyes a dark gold with hints of red in them. It was known that the god Kurayami favored Kenshin above all the other Prophets he had chosen in the past. Soujiro heard Kenshin talk at night, when he passed by to make sure the red haired man needed nothing more. Kenshin was talking to Kurayami, as if they were best friends. In short, they were. That night, they were talking about when Kenshin's family had died of an epidemic around twelve years ago. Kurayami had pitied him and had yet to choose a Prophet, as the last one died a few days before the death of Kenshin's family. Kurayami taught him the ways of a Prophet and eventually let Kenshin practice swordsmanship under the Hiten Mitsurugi Ryuu. Kurayami knew everything of Kenshin, even the promise of thirteen years ago. Soujiro knew this because days after, Kenshin had confided in him. "I did it because she deserves to know the truth. We were more than just friends thirteen years ago."

"Please excuse us both," said Soujiro as he stood up, Kenshin doing the same action shortly afterwards, "Walking all the way to a small town that is a bit a way away and back here to Kyoto is no small action, especially doing it in under two hours, both ways." The elders were left dumbfounded as they watched them make their way to the door. Tazuya began walking towards them, to try and make them stay but to no avail. Soujiro, as fast as lightning, drew out his katana and pointed it near Tazuya's neck. The older man looked at Soujiro, nervousness in his eyes. Kenshin stopped walking, to hear what Soujiro had to say. "Please don't try Kenshin-san's generosity, Tazuya-san. I could easily kill you all but I need his word to do so. He hasn't given it yet so consider yourselves lucky, gentlemen, Tazuya-san." As fast as he drew out his katana, Soujiro sheathed it. "Oh yes, all of you are relieved from your duties as elders. From this point on, only a select few will surround Kenshin-san and see to it that his needs are met." Wordlessly, the two swordsmen exited the room to get their rest.

An Old Japanese House

Wide sapphire blue eyes peered into the pond as the figure who owned them crouched beside the pond. Her hand was stretched out, her fingers touching the cool water as fishes danced around but never going near her. A frown formed on her face as she stretched out her hand even more, trying to reach at least one of the fishes. Behind a tree, amethyst eyes were watching the young girl, strands of his oddly colored hair sticking out. Half of his body was hidden as he remained where he was, a small smile on his face. The girl in front of him was cute, trying to reach out to touch at least the scaly body of one of the fishes. In all his years in Japan, he knew it was useless to try and touch a fish. They would always dart away from you or swim near your hand if you were giving them food. Stretching out her hand even more, the girl tried to maintain her balance as she was near the edge.

"Ah!" she screamed as she slipped falling into the water. Without any control of his body, the young boy dashed forward, pushing himself to catch the girl before she fell into the water. He couldn't reach her in time to so he did the next best thing. He'd cushion her fall. The area she was about to fall in wasn't too deep but she could hurt herself. He hated seeing girls hurt. Tears didn't suit their faces. Opening her eyes, the girl expected herself to be drenched with water but instead, a mass of blood red hair that stuck to a young boy's face met her gaze. "Wh-who are you?" asked the girl timidly as she remained where she was.

"I-I'm Kenshin, Himura Kenshin," spoke the boy softly as his face reddened slightly, "And I'm six years old." Without any warning, the girl in front of him brought down her face and kissed him softly on the lips, a childish, innocent kiss. Kenshin's fingers found their way to his lips, his amethyst eyes flecked with traces of amber showed confusion.

"Thank you very much," she said shyly as she ran a hand through her raven locks, "I'm Kaoru, Kamiya Kaoru, and I'm four years old."

**Tsuzuku…**

Notice how different Kaoru's and Sanctus' reaction to the news compared to the reaction of Diablos. Of course, the latter actually knew about the promise. Kaoru did, but she forgot about it, remember?

The end is cute. It's a flashback of sorts on how they first met. And Kaoru was the one who initiated the kiss this time! Of course, she didn't exactly think of it as anything beyond a sign of thanks.

I'm sorry if my paragraphs are so… chunky. I can't help it, it's my writing style. Please understand though!

Thank you all for supporting me in my venture to the world of Rurouni Kenshin fanfiction! Hopefully, I'll be able to finish Cryptic Faith and perhaps, write more stories in not only Naruto but Rurouni Kenshin as well.

See you guys soon and please review so I know where I can improve on!


	3. The Dreams

**Summary:** The two religions, Sanctus and Diablos, have never been at peace. Meet Kamiya Kaoru of Sanctus, Oracle of Shinzuru, and Himura Kenshin of Diablos, Prophet of Kurayami. Chaos is set free when all find out that the Oracle and the Prophet are engaged. B/K.

**Pairings:** Battousai/Kaoru

**Disclaimer:** I don't own Rurouni Kenshin, at all. All the characters belong to Nobuhiro Watsuki-sensei. The only thing in this story that is mine will be the OCs and the plot itself.

**Cryptic Faith  
**Chapter Three – The Dreams

"_Kaoru-chan?" called out a woman with long raven hair that reached to the midsection of her back, "Kaoru-chan?" Her blue eyes were glazed with worry as she tried to look for a young girl of four years old. Her brow furrowed as she couldn't find the little girl. She had always been a hyperactive child, always needing to do something and refusing to stay still or at least in a single area. A small red haired boy had seen her but did nothing of it. After all, his parents told him to never talk to strangers. "Kaoru-chan! Come out now, please!" called out the woman, worry evident in her voice. The red haired boy frowned slightly as he heard her frantically calling out the child's name. "Kaoru-chan!" Unable to stop himself, the little boy walked towards the woman and tugged the hem of her kimono. "Ara?" said the woman in surprise as she looked down, only to be met by a mass of red hair._

"_Oba-san, who is this 'Kaoru-chan' you are looking for?" asked the red haired boy innocently, a wide look in his endless amethyst depths. He knew of a Kaoru but he wasn't entirely sure if the older woman who looked strikingly like his friend was actually looking for her. The older woman smiled and bent down, patting the lad's head. "Maybe I know of this, Kaoru-chan of yours," spoke up the little boy shyly, "If oba-san could please describe her for me, I can most definitely help!" The older woman smiled once more and said that the Kaoru-chan she was looking for had long raven hair and blue eyes like she. The little boy's eyes widened. "Oba-san is looking for my new friend! Oba-san will follow me? I know where Kaoru is!" said the little boy excitedly as he tugged on the older woman's skirt. A sigh of relief escaped her lips as she stood up, allowing the little boy to lead her to Kaoru, her beloved daughter._

_They walked quickly as the little boy chattered animatedly about his friendship with Kaoru. The older woman smiled. Kaoru was an unusually shy girl and to think she had gained a new friend in such a short while. The older woman's feet padded softly against the wooden floor, taking long, slow strides as the young boy took quick, short ones. The older woman looked down at the young boy who was slightly ahead of her, with a soft smile on her face. Her impression of him was that he was a good kid. Their decision, as well as the young lad's parents, would hopefully be a good once. Soon, the red haired boy stopped and pointed straight at the pond. Looking in that direction, she saw a young girl with the same raven hair and sapphire blue eyes as she, wearing a violet kimono. The young girl turned her head to the direction the woman and the red haired male were and a smile played on her lips._

"_Kenshin! Okaa-chan!" said the girl with a joyous yip. Hunting around feverishly, her eyes darted here and there to look for her zori sandals. Her feet were covered in pale lavender tabi that they were almost white, dirtied on the cloth that covered the sole of her feet. Her mother laughed slightly as she ran a hand through her long, stray raven tresses. Kaoru never did like to wear zori sandals and she was showing an adamant distaste to wearing them. However, she would soon have to learn. Finding them, she slipped them on and ran as quickly as she could to her mother and her new friend. "Okaa-chan!" said Kaoru happily as she clung to her mother's legs, a wider smile on her face. The older woman bent down and rested a hand on her daughter's head, a smile coming from Kenshin's face in the process._

"_Kaoru-chan, I've been looking for you everywhere!" said her mother as Kaoru pulled apart. Her daughter made a face as she crossed her arms. Kenshin stifled a laugh as he saw his new friend doing that. Clearly, it did not suit her. A smiling face and her laughing suited her best. She looked pretty like that. As he was thinking about it, he unconsciously turned a faint red, so faint that it was hardly noticeable. "Anyway, Kenshin-kun, Kaoru-chan, come with me. We four have to tell you both something." Standing up, she stretched out her hands, one each for the two children. Kaoru put her hand in her mother's as Kenshin did the same, only shyly. It was silent as the three of them walked towards the room where Kaoru's father and Kenshin's parents were waiting._

The sun shone through the window as the thin rays of light caressed the face of the Prophet. He closed his eyes tighter, turning around to make his back face the window to get more sleep. However, it was in vain that he did that. Soon after he shifted positions, a soft knocking sound hit the door. Grabbing a pillow, he threw it to the wooden frame as it bade a soft thud. The knocking sound grew even louder, much to Kenshin's annoyance. Grumbling, he sat up straight, rubbing the tiredness out of his eyes. How many hours was he able to sleep? Four, maybe five hours of sleep? They had arrived at around two and he was fairly sure it was already six or seven in the morning. Running a hand through his loose, blood red hair, he slipped on his tatami sandals. He had fallen asleep donning his black gi and his off white hakama, as well as his black tabi. He'd have to have a bath in an hour, at the latest. Walking towards the door, he opened it, only to be greeted by Soujiro's smiling face.

"Good morning, Kenshin-san," said Soujiro amiably, trying to block Kenshin's view of what was outside of his room. Kenshin muttered a reply, trying to see what was behind him. All he could see was black but that wasn't a problem. Most people here wore black anyway. With the exception of Soujiro who usually whore a blue gi and a dark blue hakama but that was beside the point. "How was your sleep? Good?" Soujiro seemed to want to prolong Kenshin from peering behind him. Kenshin sighed, exasperated. "Okay, okay. This isn't your daily wake up call from me, Kenshin-san," said Soujiro, his voice suddenly becoming grave. The Prophet raised an eyebrow as he crossed his arms. "It seems that Tazuya-san and the elders present last night had warned the others not within the vicinity of the Main Temple and they're all here, demanding an explanation. It's a wonder you couldn't hear. What were you dreaming of, if I may ask?"

"When I first met the Oracle's mother," said Kenshin plainly as Soujiro stepped aside, allowing him the full view of what was below. His hair spilled over his shoulders, making him look like a girl if no one knew any better. His eyes turned an irritated gold as he realized the mass of black down in the atrium. Why did they have to question this matter? It was simple enough that he only needed a few people surrounding him to give him a lesser headache, if he'd even get one. They were just power hungry fools who deserved to die at his blade, at least some did. The others would die by the blade of those directly beneath him. "Soujiro, call Kamatari. The two of you will be the only ones close to me from this moment on." The Tenken nodded before disappearing. Whenever he, Kamatari and Kenshin had their weapons out, it meant death to all who opposed them. They were known as the Three Shinigami, as wherever they walked with their weapons out, death would soon follow.

"Our Prophet who has been chosen by Kurayami-sama, why do you choose to disregard our presence!" shouted Shibahara Tazuya as Kenshin walked to the edge, his hands resting on the railing sculpted from marble. Kenshin shot a blank look towards Tazuya, fear overtaking his body. However, with the knowledge of losing a revered post as elder within Diablos, he refused to back down. "We have served you since you had become the Prophet of Kurayami-sama, what did we do to make you lose your trust in us?" called out Tazuya, the other elders chanting. Kenshin bent down slightly, his blood red hair spilling down as a demonic smile found its way to his face. He did not enjoy killing, as most people have said about Battousai. It was when he was feeling particularly sadistic, which was rare to begin with, that he enjoyed the kill, the pain on his victims' faces. "Our Prophet, please reconsider! You won't be able to keep Diablos organized if there are only a few near you!"

"Because you have gone against me," said Kenshin, the promise of pain hiding within his words. He did not know why he had dreamt of meeting Kaoru's mother for the first time. His sleep was usually a dreamless state but lately, he had been dreaming of things relating to Kaoru and their engagement. It was as if the restless spirits of their parents wanted them to get married already. When they were small children, they belonged to one of the few families that did not see the barriers of believing in a different religion. They did not see that as something that would hinder them from remaining friends. "And you were lucky to be spared last night, let alone leave that room unharmed," spoke Kenshin, a fluctuating sensation of two strong chi behind him, "But you dare test my patience? I know you have called me reckless, seemingly incapable of being the Prophet but who do you think chose me? Kurayami did, no other. And besides, are you really loyal to me or are you loyal to the power you receive?" Tazuya stiffened. Kenshin knew that most, if not all, of the elders wanted the power that came with being an elder.

"Kenshin-sama, can't we just kill them?" asked a figure donning a green kimono, the sleeves hitched up as the figure wrapped an arm loosely against a giant scythe that stood nearly as tall, or slightly taller, as the one who held it. The one who had just spoken was Honjo Kamatari of the Scythe. Despite the feminine features on Kamatari's face, and the fact that a kimono for women was Kamatari's outfit of choice, Kamatari was male. "It'll be fun to see their mutilated, mangled bodies lying down in the atrium, blood trailing down this scythe of mine." A slight laugh escaped Kenshin's lips as he looked behind him. Soujiro was standing beside Kamatari, slightly waving. Kamatari had that ever calm look on his face, the one he always had before he went on a killing spree. "Well, Kenshin-sama?" prodded Kamatari as he waited for the Prophet to say something.

"At least Tazuya, kill at least Shibahara Tazuya," said Kenshin as he pushed himself off of the railing. Turning around, he began walking back to his room. Stopping, he spoke once more. "And, if they're still going to be a pain after I tie my hair, kill the rest of them. I've had enough of them, not only as elders but as power hungry, corrupt fools who think they can influence me." A bright gleam appeared in Kamatari's eyes as he turned to face Soujiro, his right hand balled into a fist. They were going to play Jan Ken Po to find out which one of them would have the honor of letting the first blood drop and coat their weapon. Kenshin sighed sadly as he went inside to look for his hair tie.

"Yes!" shouted a joyful Kamatari as his fingers were in the scissors positions.

"Damn!" mumbled Soujiro as his shoulders sagged, his hand wide open.

Carriage on the Way to the Sanctus Main Church

Yuuko bit her lower lip as she looked at the two women in front of her. Kaoru's head rested against the side of the carriage, her head lolling against the wood. Misanagi was looking outside, her chin resting on her right palm. It had only been an hour since they left the town and surprisingly, the townspeople woke up early to bid the Oracle farewell. They knew it wasn't within Kaoru to go against the barriers set by the two religions and actually kiss the Prophet. That was not her fault, rather the Prophet's. A small smile found its way to Kaoru's face as she shifted her position slightly, the sun's rays touching her face. It had been a long and tedious experience, since the Prophet had shown up to the gathering at the town square. At least, the Oracle was getting her much needed rest. Looking up, Misanagi noticed the worried expression on Yuuko's face.

"Yuuko-san, don't worry, Kaoru-sama will be alright," said Misanagi softly as she looked at the younger girl with a soft smile on her face. Yuuko nodded bashfully, as a reddish tinge found its way to her face. Noticing the concern the younger girl felt for the Oracle, Misanagi spoke further. "You truly care about Kaoru-sama, don't you, Yuuko-san? I mean, you hardly know a thing about her except she had gone through the same loss of a family as you and that she's the Oracle," said Misanagi as she faced the younger girl, "Yet, you fully trust in her. Continue trusting in her, Yuuko-san. Shinzuru-sama will not leave Kaoru-sama in her time of need, be aware of that. I should know, as Shinzuru-sama entrusted me to take care of Kaoru-sama twelve years ago, when I was six." Yuuko looked up at Misanagi with a smile on her face, nodding. "Good. You need your rest. You were awake while Kaoru-sama was resting. Don't worry about her, okay?" With that, Yuuko gave the Okashira a nod as she began to sleep herself.

_Sapphire eyes belonging to the Oracle looked around. The place seemed familiar but she couldn't quite rightly say. She had hardly any recollection of what happened to her before the goddess took her in to become the Oracle. Spying three figures, two with raven hair like she and one with flaming red hair like the Prophet's, she decided to follow them. It might clear up what the Prophet had said about them being engaged. Walking soundlessly, the Oracle managed to get into the room before the other raven haired woman managed to close the door. Kaoru's heart stopped as she looked at the older woman then down at the children. Why she could see the faces of the children but not the adults, she did not know. Why the young girl looked so much like her, she did not know either._

"_Sorry to keep you waiting," spoke the woman with long raven hair. The young girl looked up to see her mother's face but she could see nothing, the long raven tresses covering her face. Looking straight in front of her, she could see her father and two other adults she did not know. The other woman, however, had the same flaming red hair as Kenshin. Clinging to her mother's skirt, the younger Kaoru hid. Kenshin had long left the side of her mother as he walked towards his parents, a childish grin on his face. "Kaoru-chan and Kenshin-kun are here." The other three adults looked at each other before looking at Kaoru's mother. Her husband gave a slight nod as he motioned for Kaoru to come to him. The small girl looked awkwardly at the other two adults before rushing into her father's arms._

"_I, Kamiya Ayato, and my wife, Kamiya Yanagi, present to you our daughter, Kamiya Kaoru," said Kaoru's father as he showed his beloved daughter to Kenshin's parents. The younger Kaoru's face reddened as she waved her hand slightly. The older one, however, could see no one's faces except Kenshin's and her younger self's. Her parents' faces were like blank slates, as the faces of Kenshin's parents. She could not hear them speak at all. She could see their lips move but no sound came out of them. She could only hear silence. "And Kaoru, these are Himura Ryuuki-ji-san and Himura Shuuko-ba-san," said her father as he motioned for his daughter to look at the other two adults who smiled. The Oracle strained her eyes to see but to no avail. "You've met their son, right Kaoru? Himura Kenshin," said her father as he looked down at the red haired boy with kindly eyes. Kenshin nodded in acknowledgement._

_The older Kaoru could feel her chest constrict as she watched her parents talk with Kenshin's, her younger self playing with Kenshin's younger version as their parents talked. From the way the atmosphere was, she could simply deduce that everyone was having a fun time. They were talking, the children were playing and getting along with each other, what more could anyone else ask for? The Oracle covered her mouth with her right hand, her left hand balled into a fist. Why couldn't she remember anything about her parents? About thirteen years ago? About what happened to her when she was merely a child? As she wallowed in her self-pity, everything around her blackened, except the younger Kenshin who had already stopped moving around. He walked towards the older Kaoru. Every step he took, he grew a year older. There were thirteen steps that separated them from each other, as if they were the thirteen years they did not hear or speak to each other._

"_Kaoru, a look of fear and panic does not suit you," whispered the older Kenshin, his lips barely a centimeter away from her hand. His amethyst eyes were flashing from the passive violet color to a golden one. Ignoring the look on Kaoru's face, Kenshin pressed his lips against the skin of the back of her hand, sending shivers down her spine. Pulling away for a single moment, Kenshin removed the hand blocking her mouth, pushed Kaoru's body against the wall and kissed her half-open mouth. The Oracle found herself kissing him back, no matter how much her mind was screaming at her. Her body had a will of its own and her heart was soaring at the sudden amount of attention. Pulling away, Kenshin had a satisfied smile on his face. "You look better with your skin flushed because of me," said Kenshin, his hot breath dancing on her skin._

Kaoru's eyes snapped wide open as she sat up straight; her raven hair slightly messed up. Her breathing was erratic. Running a hand through her long raven tresses, she tried to calm herself down. Yuuko and Misanagi were at the edge of their seats, concerned at what had happened to the Oracle. One minute, she was sleeping soundly, the next she was wide awake and unable to breathe normally. "I hate you, Himura Kenshin, I really do," muttered Kaoru to herself as tears began to fall. He haunted her, even in her dreams. Every time she closed her eyes, she could see Kenshin's face barely away from hers, about to kiss her. She felt electricity running through her body, no matter how much her mind wanted to deny it. She yearned for his touch, for his words, for his actions and yet she couldn't bring herself to believe in it.

**Tsuzuku…**

And here ends yet another chapter of Cryptic Faith called **The Dreams**. Pretty obvious as to why, isn't it?

Kenshin is dreaming the first one while Kaoru is dreaming the second. As you know, Kaoru can't remember her parents' faces so she couldn't see them, even in the dream. They just appeared like blank slates. I wonder why though? Well, you and I will all find out the minute I get to actually writing that part.

Seriously! When I write the chapter of a fanfic I'm working on, I only find out what's going to happen next the minute I type it out. So, even I am left at a cliffhanger, well, maybe not since I know what next to write about if I leave it in a cliffy, like you guys.

Anyway, that's all from me. See you all next chapter!

And I know you want to click that button so you can review in this fanfic.


	4. The Visit

**Summary:** The two religions, Sanctus and Diablos, have never been at peace. Meet Kamiya Kaoru of Sanctus, Oracle of Shinzuru, and Himura Kenshin of Diablos, Prophet of Kurayami. Chaos is set free when all find out that the Oracle and the Prophet are engaged. B/K.

**Pairings:** Battousai/Kaoru

**Disclaimer:** I don't own Rurouni Kenshin, at all. All the characters belong to Nobuhiro Watsuki-sensei. The only thing in this story that is mine will be the OCs and the plot itself.

**Cryptic Faith  
**Chapter Four – The Visit

Gray eyes widened as he was lifted off the ground. Another hand had a firm grasp on the scruffy cloth of his clothes as his blind eyes looked down below him. He could see no figure but he could feel the coldness of a blade touch his neck as his attacker spoke a threat to him. "Your money or your life, old man," hissed the thief as he pressed the blade of the dagger deeper into the skin of the old man. An incision opened as blood started to pour down slowly, trickling and trailing the silver of the dagger. The blind man pleaded with his assailant that the only things he had to offer were the clothes on his back and nothing more. "I don't believe you! This is the last time I'm going to ask, your money or your life old man!" hissed the thief with more danger in his voice.

"He chooses neither," said a voice simply as soft sounds reverberated in the alley way. The thief looked at the direction where the voice came and grunted. An amused expression found its way to the newcomer's face as he realized that the thief did not know who he was. He must have been one of those rare few who followed neither religion. Stopping, the newcomer flashed a slight smile as he pointed upwards. The thief looked up, his grip still firm on the blind man's clothes. A feminine looking figure with a large scythe, a chain draped around the wooden pole waved slightly a happy look on the figure's face. Opposite was a male donning blue with the usual smile on its face. "Still don't know me?" said the newcomer with a grin as he waited for the thief to respond.

"Who cares if you're the Prophet or the Oracle? You're going to die because you're trying to interrupt me! All of you are," growled the thief as he dropped the old man down on the dirt path as he charged his way towards the red haired male. The amused expression remained on the red head's face as he skillfully evaded every graceless slash the thief sent out to him. The red haired male stopped momentarily, going into a stance familiar to his companion's. It was the Battou Jutsu stance, the very reason he was nicknamed Battousai. Drawing out his sword, the red head slashed the body of the thief. The blind man's assailant's eyes widened as he felt his blood gush out endlessly, as his life started to slip away from his body.

"Maybe you'd care," spoke the red haired male as he methodically wiped the blood away from his katana. "After all, I heard the Prophet was an excellent swordsman, belonging to the Three Shinigami, after all," expressed the red head thoughtfully as he sheathed his katana, the weapon swinging at his side. The thief's eyes looked up at the male, his vision blurring. Stretching out his hand, he motioned for either one of his two companions to assist the blind man and see if he needed anything. "And I am the Prophet," said the red head as he drew out his katana once more, in the blink of an eye, stabbing the thief to death. The robber had no time to react as he felt his life be ripped away from his body at a lightning fast speed.

"Ojii-san, are you alright?" asked Soujiro with a smile on his face, assisting the blind man. The beggar nodded slowly as his unseeing eyes were focused on Kenshin's form. "Good, we can take you to Tae-san, if she doesn't mind," suggested Soujiro to the blind man, suggesting it to his companions as well. Kamatari shrugged as he looked at Kenshin, the giant scythe still glimmering. Kenshin nodded as he turned around, walking out of the alley. "Don't worry, Ojii-san, I'm sure Tae-san can nurse your wounds," said Soujiro comfortingly as he helped the blind man walk. The beggar motioned for Soujiro to stop, a confused look appearing on the Tenken's face.

"Ah, it's alright," spoke the blind man softly, causing Kenshin and Kamatari to stop as well, "I wouldn't last long. Just leave me here, I'm dying anyway. I'm just grateful to have met the Prophet and his two companions before I left this world." Glimmers of color appeared in the man's unseeing gray eyes. Soujiro shook his head as he continued smiling, continuing to walk on even if he had to walk for the man as well. A sigh escaped the man's lips as he felt his heart weakening. "I thank you for caring for such an old man like me, it's more than I could ask for," whispered the man. In a few seconds, his heart beat its last, the old man growing limp against Soujiro, a smile on his face.

"Give the man a proper burial; Soujiro, a bit a way away from the Temple," spoke Kenshin as he continued walking, "It's the least we can do. Meet us in the Shirobeko, at our usual seats." The Tenken nodded as he lifted the man's body, dashing off to bury him. A faint smile found its way to Kenshin's face as he adjusted his straw hat slightly; making sure it covered his face. He didn't really want to draw such a crowd to him, considering what he had set out to do. Kamatari wasn't as known as he was out in the streets seeing as he usually confined himself within the Temple. Soujiro wasn't usually beside him, lingering either ahead of him or behind him so as not to draw attention to himself.

"Kenshin-sama, do you feel bad for the old man?" asked Kamatari, an inquisitive tone to his voice. He had no worry about calling the Prophet his first name as only very few people knew of it anyway. The man's red hair swung gently behind him, the red locks evident against the black of his gi. "Kenshin-sama?" asked Kamatari once more, not minding the glances and the glares the crowd were throwing at him and the giant scythe beside him. The Prophet nodded slowly, the action referring to everything he had meant to say. "Alright then, I was just curious," replied Kamatari as he said no more about the old man. The elders never got to see the true side of Kenshin. They were too choked up with the power they received to notice the real Kenshin. He never let the Battousai within him show unless he was truly for justice. That was the Kenshin he and Soujiro respected, the very reason the three of them became the Three Shinigami.

At the Shirobeko

"Mou, Kenshin, you shouldn't starve yourself," reprimanded one of the two owners of the Shirobeko, Sekihara Tae. The red head laughed slightly as he apologized, his two swords leaning against the wall. "Well, since you're here and that's a rare treat, I'll serve you the Breakfast Set," said Tae with a slight smile. Kenshin had known Tae ever since his parents had died and had a fondness for the restaurant owner. She, like Kamatari and Soujiro, was a follower of Diablos and could call Kenshin by his first name. He treated her like an older sister that he never had. "Anyway, the usual three sets plus two pots of green tea? I know how you three love the tea here," clucked Tae as she cleaned out the table.

"Tae-san, have I ever told you that you're the best?" said Kamatari with a grin as he leaned back slightly. Tae shot him a look that told him she knew he was trying to butter her up. "Fine, I'm sorry I managed to ruin your kitchen with my scythe," mumbled Kamatari as he sunk down, his chin resting on the table in front of them, "At least it was paid for, right?" Tae waved it off as she stood up. Opening the shoji door, she told them breakfast would be served in thirty minutes, at the longest. With another smile, she closed the door and began walking back to the kitchen. "I wish Sae-san were here. At least she wasn't like Tae-san," mumbled Kamatari as he idly drew circles on the wooden surface.

"Sae-san and Tae-san are twin sisters, what would you expect? Just because Sae-san fawns over your unnaturally feminine features doesn't mean she'll be nicer towards you, Kamatari," said Kenshin with a wry grin. Kamatari shot the Prophet a look as he avoided Kenshin's gaze. The world was against him! "Don't worry. Tae-san and Sae-san both forgive you. I mean, they let you inside the Shirobeko," said Kenshin good-naturedly as he played with the chopsticks. Kamatari laughed bitterly as he continued to sulk. The shoji door slid open, causing the Prophet to raise his head. It was Soujiro with that smile still on his face. "I see you're done, Soujiro. Tae-san decided to bring us a Breakfast Set each and two pots of green tea," said Kenshin as he motioned for the Tenken to sit down.

"Are you really sure you want to go there, Kenshin-san?" asked Soujiro, avoiding the topic of the burial of the old man. Kenshin nodded slowly as he drummed his fingers against the table top. Soujiro looked up, deciding to not press on the topic further. After all, they were headed into dangerous territory but because they were who they were, the danger levels dropped immensely. "Why is Kamatari sulking?" asked Soujiro as he noticed their companion's broody attitude. Kenshin didn't speak, pointing to their surroundings. The Tenken's eyes widened in realization as he remembered what had happened in the Shirobeko only two months ago. "It's that, isn't it?" said Soujiro wryly as he looked at Kamatari. The feminine looking male sulked even more. He didn't need Soujiro to be against him too! Just as he was about to speak, the shoji door slid open, revealing three females, two of which looked strikingly like each other.

"Sae-san!" said Kamatari all too chirpily as he tried to redeem himself. The other twin flashed him a slight, forced smile before setting down the two pots of green tea. Helping her sister, Sae set down the three ceramic cups and three of the breakfast sets. The third female had begun to set down the three bowls of miso soup. Kenshin had grilled salted mackerel with his rice. Soujiro had tamagoyaki with his. Kamatari had his favorite natto. The third female had left as soon as she had set down the miso, Tae telling her that she and Sae would be enough for now. Picking up his chopsticks, Kamatari plucked out some natto and popped it in his mouth, chewing the beans thoughtfully.

"Tae tells me the three of you have been starving yourselves as of late," began Sae as she threw a reprimanding look at the three men. Kenshin cringed slightly. Ah how he hated these lectures coming from the twins he considered his older sisters but he loved the food in Shirobeko. And it wasn't like he was forcing himself to starve. It was simply a matter of forgetting that he had to have dinner. Being Prophet required many things of him. "Kenshin, you should know better! The Shirobeko is always open for you three, even if it's midnight! All you have to do is to wake us up and we'd gladly prepare a meal for you three," came Sae's voice as she looked at the Prophet, "Give me a reason as to why you haven't eaten as much as you should have!"

"I've been busy, Sae-san, very busy," said Kenshin after sipping from his tea. "You should know how it is for me, I've been Prophet for twelve years and I've managed to live with this lifestyle," he commented as he looked up at the sisters straight in the eye. The twins shifted uncomfortably as they remained standing. They both believed in Kenshin's ability as the Prophet but they knew he had to take better care of his body by feeding it more. They never doubted but they knew that one day, the Prophet might fall down ought of exhaustion from the lack of food. "But thanks for your concern about me," he added as he picked up his chopsticks again and tore a bit of the fish meat and popped it into his mouth.

Their breakfast had gone uneventful afterwards, the sisters seating themselves as they continued to talk. The last time that the Three Shinigami were in Shirobeko was two months ago when they were attacked. They always passed through the back route as the people who went to Shirobeko were all from Diablos, able to recognize the Prophet easily. A special room for the three of them was built so they could at least eat in peace. Somehow, a bunch of rogue Diablos believers had found out about them and decided to attack. They respected Kurayami but they couldn't believe that he would pick Kenshin as the Prophet for the past twelve years. They were outraged since they came from a special group that believed that when the Prophet before Kenshin died, one of them would be chosen to lead in their faith. Kamatari had gone psycho that day and had slain them all for he, like Soujiro was totally devoted to their Prophet. Soon enough, breakfast was done and as Kenshin set down the money, the sisters were aghast. It was their treat this time because they hadn't seen the three in such a long while.

"Well, we'll see you next time, Sae-san, Tae-san," said Kenshin as they began walking out of the room. The sisters nodded as they escorted the three through the kitchen, making sure none of the workers would approach and stall Kenshin and his companions any longer. It seemed like they were in such a rush to go to wherever they had planned to. The stop in Shirobeko was probably a side trip as they were headed that way. The twins tried to figure out where they were going but none of the three would divulge their destination. It was probably official business as Prophet anyway so they decided not to press any further. "Thank you for the breakfast," said Kenshin as he turned to look at Sae and Tae, "We'll try to visit more often, if our schedule allows us to." With that, the three swordsmen called the Three Shinigami turned and left.

The Sanctus Main Church

Everyone within Sanctus was panicking, especially those under or within the Sanada Ninjas. Kaoru had decided to go out and see the three with her own eyes, despite the Okashira's constant pleading to just let them handle it. However, the Oracle's decision stood firm. Misanagi would not let the Oracle out of her sight. The rest of the people clad in their white robes brushed past the presence of the Oracle and Misanagi as they continued walking out to the main entrance. It seemed that the Prophet and his company were merely standing there as there had been hardly any bloodshed, hardly any battle cries. Kaoru's heart thumped wildly against her rib cage. What was he doing here? Soon enough, the indignant Oracle approached the balcony where she could see the three of them, her sapphire eyes blazing with anger. "What do you want with me?" spat out Kaoru as she gripped the marble railings, her anger directed at the Prophet. All stood quiet as they watched the Oracle speak to the Prophet.

"Am I not allowed to see my future wife?" said Kenshin smoothly as he looked up, tipping his straw hat slightly, his amethyst gaze focused on Kaoru. Kaoru reddened slightly in self-consciousness as she refused to back down. "You really should tell your ninjas to back down, Misanagi," said the Prophet as he motioned to all the ninjas clad in black, all crouching with a dagger in their hand. The cinnamon brown eyes of Misanagi blazed slightly as she looked down at Kenshin. "You do know who I am and who are with me, right?" he said simply as he motioned to Soujiro and Kamatari. Soujiro was faster than Godspeed, rivaling only to Kenshin's own speed. Kamatari was ruthless with the scythe and showed absolutely no mercy. With a grunt, Misanagi called off the rest of the ninjas. It was for their safety, after all.

"What do you want with me?" repeated Kaoru once more as she gripped on even tighter to the marble railing. Kenshin wouldn't just come here for absolutely no reason. He wouldn't just come to the Church to just stare at her and be on his way back to the Main Temple. No, the Prophet was much more complex than that. His mannerisms, his behavioral patterns all screamed genius with his strategies and tactics. With his response to her earlier question, she had a feeling it had something to do with the fact that they were getting married. She abhorred the idea and would do absolutely anything to get out of the verbal bond formed thirteen years ago, a contract she didn't remember.

"To see you," said Kenshin simply, as he felt the wind blow against the bunched up red tresses. Everyone in Sanctus stared at the Prophet of Diablos, incredulous at what Kenshin had just stated. A ninja rose and charged at Kenshin, not minding Misanagi's shouts of disapproval. As he raised a knife to stab the Prophet, Kamatari appeared in front of him, wagging a finger. In the blink of an eye, he drew up his scythe and sent it crashing down on the ninja's body, carmine liquid staining the green of his kimono. His face frowned, much to his distaste, as he poked at the stained patches of his clothes. "I mean, it's not wrong, is it?" added the Prophet as an afterthought. Kaoru frowned as she sent icy glares towards the man who would be her husband sometime in the future.

"It is not allowed for anyone from Diablos to step inside this holy Church, the main one," said Kaoru, her voice strained as she pointed an accusing finger towards the red haired male, "Even the Prophet." A frown made its way to the faces of all three men, gripping their blades as they fell down into their stance. "Seize them," spoke the chilling voice of the Oracle. One cold look was shot towards the Prophet, his amethyst eyes flickering dark, molten gold as the Sanada Ninjas surrounded the Three Shinigami. Turning around, the fabric of her dark lilac kimono brushed against the marble floor, the sounds of katana clashing, bodies ripping open, human voices screaming and blood spewing echoing in the atrium before the actual Main Church. Misanagi followed soon after, a look of pure hatred on her face for the three men of Kurayami.

**Tsuzuku…**

Whee. Chapter four is finally written.

Mind you, this takes place during the mid-to-late 1800s or the 19th century. They're all still wearing clothes from then and notice Kaoru took a carriage refer to chapter three back to Kyoto and not a car or anything. The camera was invented then so Kenshin could see pictures of Kaoru in the news.

Yes, Tae is still in Shirobeko and did not move to Kyoto to move to the Akabeko. Sae is her twin sister and I'm not making this up! It's in the Rurouni Kenshin manga, if you don't know. Kaoru stays in the Shirobeko instead of with Misao but that doesn't mean our favorite weasel girl doesn't see her.

With the looks of things, I'm probably not going to use Sano, Megumi and all the rest. Sorry to disappoint about that but it really wouldn't suit for them to be here, until, of course, I find a reason for them to be there.

Anyway, I hope you all like what I've written!

Please review, I know you want to!


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